Single revolution drive control for rotary printing presses



July 15, 1952 y w. w. DAVIDSON 2,603,154y

SINGLE REVOLUTION DRIVE CONTROL FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed Oct. l, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l N' I v Q R m u; 19 10 i 5mg?- Q @I N n .x J C July 15, 1952 w. vv. DAVIDSON 2,603,154

SINGLE REVOLUTION DRIVE CONTROL FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed Oct. l, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ffy if w. w. DAVIDSON 2,603,154

sINGLE REVOLUTION DRIVE CONTROL FOR ROTARY PRINTING RREssEs July 1'5, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. l, 194'? July l5, 1952 w. w. DAVIDSON SINGLE REVOLUTION DRIVE CONTROL FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed OCT.. l, 1947 n RQ l mi wi www SINGLE REVOLUTION DRIVE CONTROL FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed Oct. l, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 W. W. DAVIDSON July l5, 1952 .mYN

Patented July 15, 1952 SINGLE REVOLUTION DRIVE CONTROL FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES William Ward Davidson, Evanston, Ill., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Davidson Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application October 1, 1947, Serial No. 777,245

(Cl. 10i-245) Claims.

My present invention relates to an improvement in printing presses.

It is an object of my invention to provide a printing press adapted to be manually or motor driven through successive single cycles of operation under the control of the operator and in which sheets to be printed may be hand fed by the operator.

In my prior Patent No. 2,387,750 dated October 30, 1945, there is disclosed a printing press which may be readily adapted for either offset or direct printing, and which press comprises a pair of printing cylinders in which one cylinder is of twice the diameter of the other cylinder. The cylinder of 4large diameter, when the press is to be used for offset printing, includes a cylindrical plate segment for carrying a lithographie printing plate made of paper or metal, and a cylindrical platen or impression segment providing an impression surface, and Ain which the cylinder'of small diameter carries a blanket made of rubber or like material. The two cylinders are rotated conjointly and in each complete revolution of the large plate and platen cylinder the blanket cylinder is rotated twice. Suitable dampening and inking means are arranged with respect of the large plate and platen cylinder so that in substantially one half revolution thereof the plate carried by the plate segment is first dampened and then inked. In the succeeding half revolution of the large plate and platen cylinder and the complete revolution of the blanket cylinder i. e. when the plate is in engagement with the blanket the inked image of the plate is transferred to the blanket of the blanket cylinder. During the next succeeding half revolution of the large plate and platen cylinder when the plate is again being dampened and inked a sheet is adapted to be fed between the printing couple formed by the platen or impression segment and blanket so that the inked image on the blanket is transferred to the sheet. Thereafter in one half revolution of the plate and platen cylinder and one complete revolution of the blanket cylinder the plate carried by the plate and blanket cylinder is being dampened and inked while a sheet fed between the platen or impression segment and blanket cylinder is being printed. In the following half revolution of the large plate and platen cylinder and the following complete revolution of the blanket cylinder the inked image from the inked plate is being transferred to the blanket of the blanket cylinder for the printing of a succeeding sheet. The press may readily be converted into a direct printing press by sub- 2 y stituting a direct letter printing plate carrying segment for the platen or impression segment of the large diameter cylinder. The plate segment is removed from the large cylinder and a hardj platen surface is substituted for the blanket or an impression cylinder may be substitutedY for i the small diameter blanket cylinder.' The dampening mechanism used when the machine is set up for offset printing may .be arranged so that it may be disposed in an inoperative position or removed from the machine when it is thus converted for direct printing. In the machine modified in the manner noted the direct letter plate carried bythe large 'diameter cylinder is adapted to be inked by the inking means with a sheet to be printed being adapted to be fed between the inked plate andthe impression surface ofthe small surface cylinder to effect printing of the sheet. In the machine of my above patent several power driveninstrumentalities are provided, such as a power driven sheet feeding mechanism for driving a sheet to be printed into the printing couple, and the press further includes other instrumentalities such as a detector means for detecting if a sheet which is to be printed is present at the time it is to be fed betweenthe cylinders for printing, and latch means operable for separating the printing cylinders if a sheet to be printed is not present at the proper time in the cycle of operation of the press to prevent undue transfer of ink from the plate to the blanket all to the end of providing a press of the character indicated suitable for the rapid production of a large number of copies` from a single plate.

Inmany instances it is desirable to produce only aV few copies from each of several plates and while that may be done with the press of my above patent the power driven and other instrumentalities of the character above noted embodied in that press are not needed for such purposes and the cost of the press for such use thereof is a disadvantage from the economic standpoint.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a press embodying the aforementioned relation of printing cylinders which may be manually or motor driventhrough a single cycle, i. e..

one complete revolution of the large diametercylinders, I propose to embody gripper means ro-l tatable with the large cylinder for gripping the leading edge of a sheet to be printed for drawing the sheet through the printing couple formed by the cylinders. The gripper means preferably is of a character which is normally spring biased to closed position and it is a preferred feature of my present invention to arrange suchlgripper means so that it is disposed in open position at the beginning of a printing cycle. A further preferred feature of my invention resides in the provision of stop means for positioning the plate and platen cylinder and blanket cylinder in a predetermined stationary relation with respect of each other with the stop means being adapted to effect opening of the gripper means so that a sheet may be hand fed thereinto. After the sheet to be printed has been positioned in the open gripper means the gripper meansis caused tobe closed upon the leading edge of the sheet by release of the stop means and after which the pair of cylinders may be manually or motor driven so that the gripper means draws the sheet between the printing couple formed by cylinders. In the press when arranged for offset printing the plate carried by the plate segment of the plate and platen cylinder is dampened and then inked by suitable dampening and inking means of the press followed by the transfer of the inked image of the plate to the blanket means after which the stop means is operative to effect stopping of the cylinders in their aforesaid predetermined relation with the gripper means in open position for receiving the leading edge of the next sheet to be printed. With the press arranged for direct printing the dampening means is of course eliminated and the cylinders are disposed in their stationary predetermined relation after inking of the direct letter plate.

Suitable ejector cam means is provided to effect opening of the gripper means after a sheet has been drawn through the printing couple. A further important feature of a preferred embodiment of the press of my invention resides in the arrangement of the large diameter.y plate and platen cylinder with the dampening and inking means for the press so that when the cylinders are in their stationary predetermined position the impression segment. when the press is arranged for offset printing, is disposed adjacent the dampening and inking means, and in which the impression segment includes any convenient form of means such as form roll cam means for biasing the dampening and inking means out ofV engagement therewith. In the press arranged for direct printing the inking means is arrangedA so that it is out of contact with the direct letter plate in the predetermined stationary position of the cylinders. In either form of the press the aforesaid arrangement isof importance in that thelithographic plate or direct letter plate will not at any time be in stationary engagement with the inking means so that streaking which might occur if such condition did exist is avoided'.

In the press of my above patent the cylindersV tionary position of the cylinders, and further provides for the convenient actuation of the gripper means and 0f the arrangement of the inking or dampening and inking means for either a direct printing press or offset press.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a convenient hand operable meansfor driving the press through a single cycle of operation in the manner above noted.

A further object of my invention is to provide a press of the character above described including motor means for successively driving the same through successive cycles of operation under the control of manually actuated trip means.

A still further object is to provide a press which may be manually or motor driven through successive single cycles of operation at the option of the operator of the press.

It will be understood that while I shall describe my invention primarily in connection with the press arranged for offset printing that, as above noted, the press may be readily converted for direct printing with the press when so modied also being operable for successive single cycles of operation and in which the sheets to be printed may be hand fed into stationary open gripper means at the starting of a cycle of a printing operation of the press.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of my invention will appear from the following detail description of'certain preferred embodiments of my invention.

Now in order to acquaint those skilled in the artv with the manner of constructing and utilizing printing presses in accordance with my-present invention, I shall describe in connection with the accompanying drawings certain preferredembodiments of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side view, largely diagrammatic, of a manually operable printing press embodying my present invention in which the major portion of the side wall of the press toward which it is viewed in the drawing being broken away to more clearly illustrate the relation of the several parts of the press;

Figure 2 is a partial plan and sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrowsV and showing the arrangement of the stop means, the gripper means, and the cam means between the stop and gripper means of the press;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of a press constructed in accordance with my invention in which the press is adapted to be manually or power driven;

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the upper portion of the press of Figure 3 and showing the parts of the press in position at which a sheet to be printed is adapted to be hand fed into the press;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 4 showing the position of the parts of the press after the stop means thereof has been released at the beginning of a cycle of operation of Figure 7 is an end view of the upper portion of the press taken substantially along the line 1 1 of Figure 5 looking in the direction indicatedvby the arrows with certain parts being brokenaway;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on line 8.--8 of Figure 4 showing a latch mechanism providing for controlling engagement of a clutch for the drive means of the press in latched position in which the clutch is disengaged;

Figure 9 is a detail. view of the latch mechanism of Figure 8 taken substantially along the line 9--9 of the latter ligure looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig-ure 10 is a detail sectional view .similar to Figure 8 showing the latch mechanism `released with the view being taken substantially Aalong line I0--IIl of Figure 5 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; A

ther` detail description of thesemembers is not Figure 11 is a detail view similar to Figure 9 showing the latch mechanism released .with the view being taken substantiallyalong line II-II of Figure 10 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 12 is a detail vertical sectional view taken substantially along line I2-I2 of Figure '7 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and illustrating the manner in which a clutch control rod carries a clutch fork fordisengaging the clutch of the drive mechanism for the press; A Figure 13 is a detail sectional view somewhat along the lines of Figure 8 showing cam means associated with the clutch of the press in which the clutch is in disengaged position;

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 13 showing the position of the cam means associated with the clutch of the press in which the clutch is in engaged position; .v v

Figure 15 is a partial side elevational viewof a portion of the plate and platen cylinder showing in full lines an actuating pin carried thereby and a lever forming part of a latch mechanism for retaining manually operable trip meansfor the press in tripped position with the lever and' actuating pin being shown in dotted lines in the position for releasing such latch mechanism; and

Figure 16Y is an enlarged partial side elevational view of the releasable stop means for the press of Figure 3.

. Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings I have shown my invention embodied in a press adapted to be manually driven and comprising a pair of spaced side walls 6 and I with the side wall 6 as viewed in Figure 1 being largely broken away for purposes of illustrating the relation of the several parts of the press. The side wall 6 is of lthe same form as side wall I illustrated in full outline in Figure 1 and between the pair of spaced side walls 6 and I a plate and platen cylinder 8 of known construction is vrotatably mounted upon a transversely extending shaft 9 supported for rotation in suitable bearings at its opposite ends carried by the side walls 6 and 1. A -blanket cylinder lII is carried by a transversely extending shaft I2 mounted at its opposite ends in the sidewalls of the frame of the press and in position above the plate and platen cylinder 8. The shaft I2 as shown comprises eccentric trunnion end portions I4 which as is well known in this art provide for adjustment of the blanket cylinder II with respect of the plate and platen cylinder 8 for adjusting the pressure of the engagement of a transfer blanket I5 made of rubber or the like, covering substantially the entire periphery of `thewblanket cylinder il, with the impressionor platen surface of an' impression segment of cylinder 8 shown schematically at I6, andpwhich impression vSPg-f ment I6 forms substantially one half ofthe plate essential for understanding of my present invention.' The construction of these two cylindersk may vary widely for use in my present invention' with the only essential of such cylinders. being that they provide a printing couple of character as will hereafter appear. As previously referred to the plate and platen cylinder 8 is of twice the diameter of the blanket cylinder II so that for each complete revolution of. the plate and platen cylinder 8 the blanket cylinder is rotated twice. l The plate segment of cylinder 8 together with the lithographic plate carried thereby and the blanket cylinder I I and blanket carried thereby form a printing couple in a known manner. In the rotation of the plate and platen cylinder 8 in a; counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure l, the plate VI8 is adapted t0 be dampened by a dampening means of known construction, indicated generally at 20, and then inked by an inking means of known construction, shown generally at 22, and which upon rotation of the printing plate with the blanket cylinder II transfers the inked image from the plate I8 -to the blanket I5 carried by blanket cylinder II. Upon feeding of a sheet between the printing couple formed by the blanket I5 of the blanket cylinder II and the impressionsurface I6 of the impression segment the inked image on the blanket is transferred to the sheet. Thus, in each full revolution of the plate'and platen cylinder 8 and two full revolutions of the blanket cylinder I I the plate carried by the plate segment is caused to be dampened and inkedr for transferring an inked image to the blanket I5 of the blanket cylinder II, and the inked image transferred from the plate to the blanket of the blanket cylinder is transferred to a sheet fed between the printing couple formed by the blanket I5 and the impression segment I6. For purposes of manually driving the press of Figure 1 I provide a crank 23 which is suitably secured to the shaft 3 as by the pin 24 so that upon rotation ofthe crank the plate and platen cylinder 8 is rotated. The plate and platen cylinder 8 carries an end gear member which has meshing engagement with an end gear secured to the blanket cylinder II in a known conventional manner so that upon rotation of the plate and platen cylinder the blanket cylinder is adapted to be conjointly rotated therewith.

The crank 23 at its outer end carries handle means 2I adapted to be grasped for rotating the crank and comprising a cylindrical sleeve 25 closed at its outer end by a cap member 26 forming, in part,` a releasable stop member the purpose of which is described below. The sleeve 25 is adapted to have sliding movement on a shaft portion 21 formed integral of the crank arm 28 of the crank 23. The releasable stop member further comprises a plunger 29 which is secured at one end thereof in a bore 30 in the cap member 26 as by means of a cross pin 32. A coil spring 33 is contained within Va bore 35 of the shaft extension 21 ofthe crank and is confined between 7 a shoulder 36 at the Iinner end of the plunger` 29 and the opposite end of the bore 35 with the sprlng'3'3 normally tending to bias-the plunger 2 9-inwardly toward the side wall 6 of the frame of the press imposition-so that the tapered outer end portion 38 ythereof is normally disposed in a position` to' engagea fixed stop member 39 preferably formed integral with the side wall B to preventlrotation of the plate and platen cylinder -8 and the blanket cylinder II whenv these cylinders are in the position shown withrespect to each other. vThe releasable stopememberlis rotatable with Vthe plate and platencylinder and is carried by the'crank in advance of the leading edge 'of the impression segment thereof. The sleeve 125 is adapted to be grasped in one hand an'dfrnoved axially to the left as viewed in Figure 2 'against the 'force of thespring 33 for drawing tlie'tapered end 3B from engagement with the i'ced vstop member 39. The releasable stop member when thus released from -the fixed stop member 39 permits rotation of the crank in a counterclockwise direction as Viewed in Figure 1 to rotate the plate and platen cylinder and thel blanket cylinder conjointly for effecting and printing of a sheet fed between the impression segment I6 and the blanket I5 of theblanket cylinder II in the manner lalready referred to; The plate and platen cylinder 8 carries a normallyclcsed'gripper means indicated generally atr4llin advance of the leading edge ofthe impression segment I5. and which gripper-'means as more clearlyv shown in Figure 2 comprises a shaft 42 havinga plurality of gripper fingersllii, only one ofwhich is shown in the drawing, fixed thereto and between which gripper vngers andl an anvil 44 of the impression segment I6 the leading edge of a sheet to be printed is adapted to be grasped for drawing the sheet through the printing couple. A coil spring 45 is disposed about the shaft 42 and one end thereof is fixed as at 45 to the plate and platen cylinder 8 with the opposite end of the spring being secured in a collar 41 xed 1to the shaft 42 as by a set screw 48. The spring 45 ig preloaded sothat it normally tends to bias the shaft 42 ina direction to urge v'the gripper lingers 43 intoengagement with the anvil portion 44 at the leading edge of the impression segment i6. A crank arm 50 fixed at one end to one end of theshaft 52 carries at its outer or other end a cam follower or roller 52 which lis adapted to have engagement with the cam surface of a crank arm 55 forming in' part a cam means indicated generally at 56. l

The crank arm' 55 is keyed to one end of a shaft 51v extending through the side wall 6 of the frame of the press with the shaft T at its other end havlng' a crank arm 58 fixed thereto. `The crank arm 58 is normallyv disposed in aposition to be engaged bythe outer end of the plunger 29 ofthe handle means 2i of the crank means 23. A coil spring 601s` iied atv one end to the crank arin .'55 and at its otherend to a pin 62 fixed' inthe adjacent side wallv 5 normally tends to rotate the crank arms 58 and 59 about shaft 51 in aY clockwise direction as viewed i'nFigure l ofthe drawings. With the parts disposed in the latter position it will be' observed" that in the normal inward positionof the plunger 29 that the; end 3B thereof is in engagement with the fixed stop member 39 of the press, and is also in engagement withY the crank arm 56' biasing thev crankA arm -55 against' the force ospring 60 `into engagement with the carri were. .52- fifi-he. crank-arm in of the ,gripper means 40. The crankA arr'r 50 in the Ylatter position has rotated shaft 42 'against the force of spring means 45 to a position in which the gripper fingers 43 are positioned away from the anvil portion 44. Thus, with the parts of the press in the position shown in vFigures 1 and 2 a sheet is adapted to be hand fed into the open gripper means 40 from a suitable feed table 53 to dispose the leading edge of the sheet into the opened gripper means. After the sheet has been dis-` posed in the opened gripper means the sleeve 25 of the handle means 2l may be moved axially to the leftas viewed in vlligure 2 to withdraw rst the end 38 of the plunger from engagement with the crank arm 58 of the carril means 55. release of the crank arm 58 of the cam means 56 the spring'll `rotates the crank arms 58 and 55 in a vclockwise direction as viewed in Figure l to a position in which the crank arm 55 engages the stop pin 54 fixed in theside wall 6 of the frame. During this movement as the crank arm 55 vmoves away from crank arm 50 the coil spring 45 rotates shaft 42 in a direction to close the gripper fingers-43 upon the leading edge of the sheet. Further axial movement of sleeve 25 to release plungery 28 from stop member 39 releases crank 23 for rotation in a counterclockwise direction so that the sheet gripped between the gripper iingers43 and the anvil 44 is adapted to be drawn through the printing couple formed by the impression segment I6 and the blanket I5 of the blanket cylinder I I to effect printing of the sheet. After the plunger 29 has been withdrawn from engagement with the crank arm 58 of the cam means 56 and the stop member 39 and the crank rotated beyond the latter stop member the sleeve 25 is released for movement axially inwardly toward theside walls under the influence of the spring 33 so that in the continued rotation of. the crank the plunger will be disposed in its normal position to engage the stop member 39 upon completion of a single revolution of the plate and platen cylinder 8.

After a sheet has been hand fed lnto the open gripper means 40, the gripper means closed,and the plate and platen cylinder 8 rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1y the follower 52 of the gripper means 40 after the sheet has been drawn through the printing couple isadapted to engage a stationary ejector cam 66 suitably arranged and supported by the frame of the press to open the gripper means 40. A conventional form of sheet ejector wheel means 61 extending transversely between the sidewalls of the .press and a. conventional form of stripping means 68 are providedadjacent the ejector cam 66 to.strip ythe print sheet and direct the same into a-sultable catcher 69. After the printed sheet has been stripped the cam follower 52 leaves the cam surface of the stationary ejector cam member and the gripper means returns to its normally closed position until the follower 52 at the completion of a single revolution of the plate and platen cylinder again engages the crank arm 55 of the cam means 5B which is disposed by en# gagement of plunger 29 with crank arm 58 in a position to open the gripper means 40. As previously referred to, the dampenlng means 2n and the inking means 22 per se are of conventional construction but which in a preferred form of my present invention are arranged in a novel manner with respect to the plate and platen cylinder 8. The impression segment I6 of the plate and platen cylinder IlA at each end thereof is provided with a form roll cammember 10 adapted to have engagement with an end plate member n 'at each end of Upony Q9' a shaft 12 carrying a dampening form roller 13. The form roller cam members 10 when in engagement with the end plate members 1I position the dampening form roller 13 out of engagement with the periphery of the impression segment I6. The dampening form roller 13 is normally spring biased by spring means 14 in a direction for engagement with the plate and platen cylinder, but, when, as noted, the plate segment is passing the dampening form roller, the cam members 10 and the end plates 1| are adapted to position the dampening form roller 13 away from and out of engagement with the periphery of the impression segment. The dampening form roller 13 has the shaft 12 thereof carried in arms 19 at the opposite ends thereof pivotally mounted in the side walls of the frame as indicated at 11 with the arms 19 each carrying an adjustable set screw 18 adapted to have engagement with lugs I9 extending inwardly of side' walls 6 andi of the press for adjusting the pressure of engage'- ment of the dampening roller 13 with lthe plate carried by the plate segment of the plate and platen cylinder 8. The inking means 22 is of the same construction as the dampening means 20 above described and the primed reference characters correspond to the reference characters used in describing the dampening means 20.l The inking means 22 is positioned so that the end plates 1 I thereof are adapted to have engagement with the form roll cam members 10 for maintaining the ink form roller 13 out of engagement with the periphery of the impression segment. The dampening means, as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 1, further comprises a receptacle 82 for containing the dampening solution and a roller 83 for transferring the dampening solution from the receptacle 82 to the dampening form roller 13. The inking means 22 also comprises a receptacle 82 and a roller 83 for transferring ink to the ink form roller 13 for application by the latter roller of ink to the plate carried by the plate segment.

In the position of the parts shown in Figure 1, an inked image from the plate carried'by the plate segment has in the preceding half revolution of the plate and platen Acylinder been transferred to the blanket I of the blanket cylinder, so that after hand feeding of a sheet into the open gripper means 40 actuation of the crank means 23 in the manner described effects drawing of the sheet through the vprinting couple formed by the blanket cylinder and the impression segment for transferring the inked image on the blanket to the paper sheet. While a sheet is being drawn through the printing couple of the press, it will be observed that the plate carried by vthe plate segment is being dampened and inked by the dampening and inking means 20 and 22, respectively, and prior to completion of the single revolution of the plate and platen cylinder, the inked impression of the plate has been transferred to the `blanket cylinder, so that when the parts again assume the position shown in Figure 1 upon completion ofv a single revolution of the in'juxtaposition of a portion of the platen segmentbut with the form rollers thereof out ofA engagement with the periphery of the platen Seg ment by the means above described,l i -f Referring now to the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 3 through 16 the parts ofthe press identical or substantially identical to the parts of the press already described bear the same reference numerals and these parts of the press function in the manner above noted. In the press of Figures 3 through 16 the plate and platen cylinder 8 and the blanket cylinder II are mounted as previously vdescribed for rotation in a frame formed by the spaced side walls 6' and 1'; As shown more clearly in Figure 6 it will be seen that a gear 90 carried by the blanket'cylinder shaft I2 has meshing engagement with a gear 92 fixed to the plate and platen cylinder shaft'9. A drive gear 93 having meshing engagementwith the gear 92 is rotatably mounted about a drive shaft 94 of driving means indicated generallyv at 95 in Figures 3, 6 and 7. The gear 93 is mounted on the drive shaft 94 abolita bearing 96 and the drive shaft 94 extendsstransversely between the side walls 6 and 1 l below the plater and platen cylinder 8 with the opposite ends of .the shaft being suitably journaledin bearings .carried-by the'side walls. A pulley 98 is keyed'to the 'driveI shaft 94 at the end portion thereof inwardly of side wall 1. In Figure 3 it will be seen that the drive means 95 further comprises an electric motor 99 mounted in the base |00 for supporting the upper frame formed byside walls 6' and 1' with the armature shaft of the motorcarrying a Worm |02 which has meshing engagement with va Worm wheel |03 xed to a shaft |04 which carries a pulley about which pulley and the pulley 98 and endless belt |05 is trained.' The motor 99 when thev press is to be kpower driven is continuously energized so that the drive shaft 94 'is constantly rotated. A clutchv collar member |06 is rotatable .with the drive shaft 94 by means of a pinA |01 fixed in the latter and fitting ina slot in the collar member with the slot and pin connection providing for axial movementof the collar member on the drive shaft 94. Acoil spring I09'is disposed about the drive shaft`94 and is compressed between the collar member'I 00 and a pair of adjusting nuts'l I0 having threading engagement with the threaded portion'I I2 of the drive shaft'94. The spring |09l normally tends to bias the clutch collar |06 toward the gear'93 to engage friction clutch disks I|3 and 4 Vrdisposed, respectively, between theend face of gear 93 and the adjacent end face of clutch collar AIIlI and the other end face of drive gear 93 and the adjacent end face of pulley 98. The clutch thus formed by the collar member |00 and the friction disks |I3 and I|4 when engaged, clutches ythe drive gear 93 to drive shaft 94 and sincethe gear is in meshing engagement with'gear 92 and the latter with gear the gears 90 and 92 are caused to be rotated-for conjointly rotating the pair cf cylinders 8 and I I. l

A clutch control rod IIB extends transversely between side walls 6 and 1' parallel with and adjacent the drive shaft 94 and has a shift fork I I1 secured thereto having a yoke extending linto an annular groove II8 of clutch collarfmember |96 for shifting the latter as view'ed inFigure '1 to the left against the force of spring I 09"to4 disenga'ge the clutch as shown in'Figure 6 to permit drive'shaft 94 to rotate without rotating drive gear 93 and through the latter Vthe gears 92 and Y The ,clutch control rod IIO extendsat the opf posite ends thereof through holes provided thereforin'sidewalls'f and Y1L" A cam member |22 isxfixed externally. ofs'ide Wall 0 through which the adjacent end' portion of the clutch control rodl |'6 slidably extends with the latteralsoy freely carrying a cam member |23. The cam mem;- bers are provided with interengaging cam teeth |24. A lever |26 is secured to cam member |23 for slight relative rotation` with the respect to the clutch control Vrod H6 and is provided with an extending arm portion |21. A pair of adjustable thrust nuts |28` have threading engagement with the threaded, end portion |30 ofthe rod ||6 and retainI the lever |21 and cam member |23. in position at the end of the clutch control rodv ||6. A coil spring |29 is` secured at one end adjacent the outer end of the arm |21 of the lever |26 and at its other end about a. pin |29 fixed to the side wall 6. with the spring |29, normally tending to rotate the lever |26 as viewed in Figures 3. 4 and 5 in a counterclockwisey direttionA and which movement of the lever tends to rotate the cam member |23 away from. the. fixed cam member |22 through the interengaging cam teeth |24. therebetween for urging the, cam member |23 and the lever |26 to. the left as viewed in Figures 13 and 14 to engage lever |26 into engagement with the adjacent thrust nut |28 to shift the clutch control rod |:|.6 to the left as viewed inv Figures 6, '1, 13. and 14. to disengage the clutch. Upon movement of the lever |26 in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5 the interengaging cam teeth |24 of theA cam members |22 and |23 permits axial movement of the clutch control rod I 6 as. will hereinafter appear as viewed inV Figures 13v and 14 to eifect engagement of the clutch for the drive gear 93. A manually operable trip means, operable with respect of the parts just described, is provided for effecting` engagement and disengagement of the clutch for the gearl 93 and will be described indetail below; For the present it. will be observed that whenA the. cam members |-22; and |23 are in theY position shownV in Figure, 13 theA clutch for: the drive gear 93 is disengaged and when thev cam members |23 and |24 are in the position shown in Figure 14 the clutch for the drive gear 93 is engaged.

Referring now, more particularly to Figures 8 through 1l, it will be further seen that the clutch control' rod carries at the end portion inwardly of side wall 6r a block member |30 forming in part a latch mechanism |32 for preventing engagement of the clutch means for drive gear 93. The latch mechanism, |32 comprises a latch member |33 pivotedy at one end by the bolt |34 to block member |30. 'I'he latch member |33 extends through a slot |35 in side wall 6 and at its other end is provided with a notch |36 for engaging the portion of side wall 6' at v4the upper end of the slot toengage the latch mechanism. A leaf spring member |31 is xed at one end to the block, member |30 in any'suitable manner and is tensioned so that the other end thereof engages the bottom edge ofA latch member |33 to bias normally the latter in a direction for engaging the notch |35 with the sidewall ii'` at slot. |35, Referring again to Figures: 13 and 14 it will be observed that when thelatch mechanism |32 is engaged the clutch control rod' H6 is` held in position in which the clutch for gear A93v is disengaged and in which position the cam member |23 is biased away from` the camY membery |22 by the interengaging-cam-teeth thereof and when the latch member V|33, is in disengagedpposition as showniin Figure 14 the cam` member |23 is shifted axially inwardly toward the cam/ member |22. with the cam teeth |24 therebetween fully in engagement under the force of the spring |09 of the drive shaft 94' acting through the shiftv fork ||1` lxed to the clutch control rod ||6. The latch mechanism |32 is adapted to be disengaged as shown in Figure 14 by the manually operable trip means already referred to and which shall be presentlyv described. The function of the lever 26 and the spring |29 therefor is for purposes of re-engaging the latch member |33 from its disengaged position, shown in Figure 14, to its engaged position, shown in Figure. 13, by movement of the cam member |23 relative to the cam member |22 with the cam teeth |24A therebetween and together with the spring |29 providing foraxial movement of the camu member |23 and lever |25 into engagement` with the thrust nuts |28 for shifting the clutch control rod |16 to the left against the force of spring |09.

Referring nowv to Figures 4 through 7 and 15 it will be seen lthat the.l crank arm 23. carries a handle means 2| similar in all respects to handle means 2| already described except thatv the sleeve 25. thereof has a projection |40 shown most clearly in Figures 6 and 1 fixed thereto and extending inwardly of the inner end of sleeve 25' toward the side wall 6 of the press and which projection |40 when engaged by the manual trip means to be described is moved to the left as viewed in the figures last referred to provide for the release of the crank 23 for rotation in a clockwise direction of the press from the predetermined stationary position at the start of a cycle of operation. The plunger 29v of handle means 2|' as before is adapted to be disposed normally in a position in which it will engage the crank arm 58 of cam means 56a for the gripper finger means 49. The inner end of plunger 25 is also adapted to have engagement with a stop means |42 shown most clearly in Figure 16 carried by the side wall 6 of the press. The stop means |42 comprises a lever |43. pivotally mounted at one end'tcithe side wall 6 as indicated at |44. The lever |43 is spring biased to a position in which it may be engaged by the inner end of plunger 29 when the latter is disposedy in its normal position by means of a coil spring |46 disposed about a rod |41 between adjusting nuts |48 threaded on the rod |41 and a stationary support |49 suitably secured to side wall 6. The lower end of rodA |41 extends through support |49 with the lower threaded end of the rod having adjusting nuts |50 threaded thereon and which nuts are normally biased into engagement with the support |49 by the biasing for-ce of spring |46. The upper end of ,rod |41 has pivotal connection at |52 adjacent the other end portion of lever |43'. By virtue ofthis construction the coil spring |46 biases rod |41 upwardly with the nuts |50 limiting the uppermost position of the end of the lever |43 opposite its end pivotally mounted at |44. When the plunger 29 is in its normal inwardly disposed position as shown in Figure 6 it is adapted to be positioned in the recess |52 in the upper edge ofthe lever |43 so that the releasable stop means formed by the plunger' 29 and the member |43 provide` forthe disposal 'of the cylinders in the positionl indicated in Figure 4y at the start. of a printing cycle for the press. When the plate and platen cylinder 8 is rotated: and approaches the completion of a single revolution at the end of a printing cycley of: the press the plunger 29' is adapted to engage the nose portion |55 of the lever |43 for biasing the lever |43 about its pvot |44 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 16 with such movement of the lever |43 effecting compressing of the spring |41 to provide a vresilient stop for the plate and platen cylinder 8 upon completion of a single revolution thereof. The high surface |56 of the recess |52 prevents rotation of the crank 23 beyond the position shown in Figure 4. In the normal position of the plunger 29 with the cylinders in the relative position with respect to each otherI shown in Figure 4 the inner end portion of the plunger engages the crank arm 58 of the cam means 50 and provides for disposing thegripper ngers 42 of the gripper means 49 in open position in the manner previously described.

Referring again to Figure 3 I have shown manually operable trip means effecting actuation of the press through a single cycle of operation by the motor 99. The trip means |80 as shown comprises a foot treadle |92 pivotally mounted at one end as at |93 in the lower portion of the base frame |00. A coil spring |64 is connected to a pin |95 fixed to the treadle |92 with the spring |94 at its other end being fixed to a pin |99 carried by the base frame and with the spring normally tending to dispose the treadle |02 in its uppermost position against the stop |61. A link has a slot |12 at the lower end thereof within which a pin |13 xed to the treadle extends. The link |10 at its upper end as shown most clearly in Figures 9 and l1 has connection by means of a bolt |15 to the outer end of a crank arm |16 which projects through a slot |11 in side wall 3'. The crank arm |19 is fixed to a horizontally extending shaft |19 carried by bearings |19 carried by the outer surface of the side wall E". The shaft |10 has a crank arm |00 secured thereto at the end thereof opposite crank arm |16 with the projecting arm |82 of the crank arm extending through an opening |93 in the side wall 9 of the frame. i A link |85 is pivotally connected as at |88 'at the end of arm |92 of crank arm |80 and the link |85 at'its upper or other end haspivotal connection at |08 to a crank arm |90 fixed to a shaft |92 extending horizontally outwardly of the side wall 8' at the upper end thereof. The arm `of the crank member |90 extends through an opening |93 providing for the aforesaid disposal of the shaft |92 with the shaft |92 being supported on the outsideof side wall 6 of the frame by a pair of bearings |95 carried by the side wall. The other end of the shaft |92 carries a crank arm |99 which as shown is disposed in a position to engage the projection |40 of sleeve member 25' when the crank 23 is disposed in the position shown in Figures 4 and 6 of the drawings.

Referring again to Figure 3 it will be seen that a coil spring 200 is connected at one end to the link |10 and at its other end is disposed about a pin 202 fixed to the side wall 8 of the upper frame of the press with the spring 200 acting to bias normally the link |10 upwardly to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4. In the uppermost position of the link |10 the crank arm |19 is disposed in the position shown in Figures 4, 6 and 8 with shaft |18 and the crank arm |00 disposing the link |85 and crank arms |90 and `|98 in the position shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. When the treadle |92 is depressed the link |10 is drawn downwardly by the engagement of the pin |13 in the end of slot |12 against the force of spring 200 and 14 through the connection of the upperend ofthe link |10 by means of the bolt |13 with. the crank arm |19 eifects rotation of the shaft |18 and the crank arm |82 to draw downwardly the link |05`.- Downward movement of the link through crank arm |90 rotates shaft |92'and crank arm |98 to the position of the latter illus- Atrated in Figures 5 and 7 of the drawings in which the crank arm |98 engages the projection |40 of the sleeve 25' to move the sleeve 25 to the left as viewed in the latter iigure withdrawing the plunger 29 from engagement with the crank arm 58 of the cam means 59 and to a position in which the end of the plunger 29 is free of lever |43 of the spring loaded stop mem.- ber |42. Actuation of the foot treadle thus re@- leases the releasable stop means formed by the sleeve 25 and plunger 29 and the stop member |42 to permit rotation of the plate and platen cylinder in the direction indicated in Figure 5 at the beginning of a single cycle of operation of the press. Upon positioning of the link |10 downwardly by pressing down on the treadle |82 it will be seenthat at the end of the downward-stroke of the link |10 that the flatted end portion 2|0 of bolt |15 is adapted to engage an adjustable screw 2|| threaded in a laterally projecting ear 2|2 of the latch member |33 to move the latch member |33 downwardly against the force of leaf spring |31 from the position shown in Figures 8 and 9 to the position shown in Figures 10 and l1 in which position the clutch control rod ||0 is released for movement axially to the right as viewed in Figure 6 to the position shown in Figure '7 so that clutch collar |06 engages the clutch for clutching gear 93 to the drive shaft 94. Thus in the tripped position of the manually operable trip means |00 the latch member |33 of latch means |32 is moved from the position shown in Figure 8 to the position shown in Figure l0 against the biasing force of leaf spring |31. With the latch member |33 in the position shown in the latter figure the notch |33 is disengaged from the side wall 6' above slot |35 andthe spring |09 moves the clutch collar |00 to the right from the position shown in Figure 6 to the position shown in Figure 7. This movement of clutch collar |00 valso shifts the shift fork ||1 to the right moving the clutch control rod H0 axiallyin the latter direction andl disposingthe cam member |23 and lever |21 from the position shown in Figure 13 to the position shown in Figure 14. Now Iwith the drive gear 93 `clutched to drive shaft 94 the gears 92 and 90 are driven to rotate conjointly the cylinders 8 and When the manual trip means is actuated to tripped position in the manner described, a second latch mechanism shown generally at 2|4 and comprising a lever 2|5 'pivoted intermediate its ends at 2|9 on the side wall 6 is caused to be rotated slightly in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 2|3 to engage the notched end 2|9 thereof with the upper end of link |10so that upon release of foot treadle |62 from its tripped positionv and the return thereof by spring |64 to its normalV position the link |10 is maintained in tripped position maintaining the clutch for drive gear 93 engaged to drive the cylinders through a single cycle of operation. Theslot and pin connection between yfoot treadle |92 and the lower end of link |10 permits return of the foot treadle to its normal position without affecting movement upwardly of link |10 to its non-tripped or normal position. As bestshown in Figures 4, 5 and 15 the'plate-and vplaten cylinder 8 carries a pin 220,which as the press. approaches the endk of a single cycle of 4operation or at thefcompletion of a single revolution of cylinder 8, engages the end 223 of the latch lever 215 to move it from the position shown in full lines in Figure 15, or its latchedposition, to the dotted line position thereof` of this figure to release the notched end 218 from the upper end of link 170 whereby spring 200 returns the latter link to its normal or uppermost position. Upon return movement of link 110 the several parts of the manually operable trip means 169 return to their normal or initial positions above described it being particularly notedv that the spring 129 acting on lever 126 is effective for causing the cam member 123 to be biased axially outwardly from cam member 122 through the cam teeth |24 so that lever 126 acting againstthe adjacent thrust nut 128 shifts the clutch control rod to the left from the position of Figure 14 to the position of Figure 13 to disengage the clutch for drive gear 93 by movement of clutch collar 101i to the left from theA position of Figure 7 to 4the position of Figure 6 by means of the shift fork 111. Upon the parts referred to assuming the position shown in Figure 13, the leaf spring causes latch arm to engage the portion ofthe side wall 6 above slot 135 to retain the clutch control rod 1 IG in position to disengage the clutch for gear 93 against the force of spring 109 normally tending to engage the clutch.

As previously referred to the other parts of the press last'l described such as the dampening and inking means 20 and 22, respectively, the gripper means 40, feed table 63, ejector cam 6G, ejector wheel means 6T, catcher 69, form roll cam 10, are all as described in connection with the press of Figures l and 2 in view of which it is believed a further description of such elements with respect of the press last described is not necessary. In

lthe press of Figures 3 through 16 it will be observed that if desired the electric motor may be fie-energized and the press manually driven through crank 23 and the slightly modied form of handle means 2| and alternate form of stop 4means I5?. carried by the frame of the press in the same manner as the press of Figures l and 2 is operated.

It will be understood that if desired the presses above described may be modified for direct printing vas previously referred to and as is known in this art by substituting a direct printing plate carrying segment for the impression segment 16 and by replacing the blanket cylinder I 1 with an impression cylinder r removing the blanket I5 and substituting in its place a suitable impression member. Also, the plate carrying segment I1 preferably is removed and any other suitable segment substituted therefor. In the press as thus modified the dampening means 20 is removed or rendered inoperative and the inking means 22 preferably is disposed in the frame in a position in which ity will be in juxtaposition of a portion of the main cylinder not in contact with the direct printing plate when the cylinders as thus modified are in position as illustrated in Figures 1 or 3.

While I have shown and described what Iconsider to be preferred embodiments of my invention it will be understood that various modifications and re-arrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a printing press the combination of a, pair of cylinders having intermeshing gear means-and forminga printing couple. a drive gear meshing with thegear means of one of said cylinders, a shaft adapted to be driven by a motor or the like, clutch means for clutching said drive gear to said shaft for conjointly rotating said pair of cylinders, releasable stop means associated with one of said cylinders for stopping said cylinders when the latter are disposed in predetermined relation with respect to each other, latch means associated with said clutch means for normally disengaging the same, normally closed gripper means rotatable with one of said cylinders, cam means associated with said releasable stop means for opening said gripper means when said cylinders are disposed in their said predetermined relation with respect to each other, manually operable trip means adapted to be disposed in tripped positionfor releasing said releasable stop means to disengage the same from said cam means for permitting said gripper means to close and release said cylinders for rotation, said manually operable trip means upon closing of said gripper means being thereafter adapted tc disengage said latch mechanism whereby said clutch means is engaged to clutch said drive gear to said drive shaft to rotate said pair of cylinders, second latch means for said manually operable trip means for maintaining the latter in its tripped position, and means carried by said one cylinder for engaging said second latch means to release the same for return to its initial position upon the approach of said cylinders to their said predetermined position.

-2. In a printing press having a pair of conjointly rotatable printing cylinders forming a printing couple, the combination of handle means including releasable means connected with one of said cylinders for rotating the same, stop means for said press adapted to be engaged by said releasable means of said handle means for preventing rotation of said cylinders when disposed in a predetermined relation with respect to each other, sheet gripper means carried by one of said cylinders, cam means mounted on said press for movement between operative and inoperative positions and in its operative position being adapted to engage with said sheet gripper means to open the same, spring means for said cam means for normally biasing the latter to its inoperative position, and said releasable means of said handle means in the said predetermined position of said cylinders engaging said' cam means to dispose the latter to its operative position against the force of said spring means.

3i. In a printing press having a stationary frame and a pair of printing cylinders mounted for rotation in said frame and forming a printing couple, the combination of normally closed sheet gripper means carried by one of said cylinders, handle means rigidly connected to one of said cylinders in non-rotative relation with respect thereto for rotating the latter, cam means pivotally mounted on said frame and having operative and inoperative positions, said cam means in its operative position being adapted to engage with said gripper means to open the latter, and manually operable means carried by said handle means for selective engagement with or disengagement from said cam means to effect thereby the selective disposal of the latter to its operative and inoperative positions.

4. In a printing press having a pair of printing cylinders mounted for rotation in said frame and forming a printing couple, the combination of normally closed sheet gripper means carried by one of said cylinders, handle means rigidly connected to one of said cylinders in non-rotative relation with respect thereto for rotating the f latter, cam means pivotally mounted on said frame for movement between operative and inoperative positions and in its operative position being adapted to engage with said gripper means to open the same, spring means for said cam means for normally biasingI the latter to its inoperative position, and manually releasable means carried by said handle means for engaging said cam means to dispose the latter to its operative position against the force of said spring means.

5. In a printing press having a pair of printing cylinders forming a printing couple, the combination of sheet gripper means carried by one of said cylinders, handle means rigidly connected with said one cylinder in non-rotative relation with respect thereto for eiecting rotation of the latter, cam means engageable with and disengageable from said gripper means in a predetermined position of said one cylinder and said handle means to open and close said gripper 18 means, and manuallyreleasable means carried by said handle means for selectively effecting engagement or disengagement of said cam means with said gripper means to open and close the latter at said predetermined position of said one cylinder and said handle means. s

' WILLIAM WARD DAVIDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 708,409 Schmidt et al Sept. 2, 1902 1,036,774 Arney Aug. 27, 1912 1,057,018 Truxal Mar. 25, 1913 2,083,044 Storck June 8, 1937 2,083,862 Paxton June 15, 1937 2,094,181 Morrison Sept. 28, 1937 2,220,255 Marchev et al Nov. 5, 1940 2,231,109 Breuer et al Feb. 11, 1941 2,358,284 Davidson et al Sept. 12, 1944 2,425,327 Janke Aug. 12, 1947 

